Shoe



Feb. 14, 1%9. E. w, ALLEN I 2,147,415

SHOE I Filed April 50, 1936 4 INVENTOR 1. M,% MDMZUU,

ATTORN EY5 Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 30,

1 Claim.

This improvements in shoes.

The invention has for its objects an improvement in the comfort of shoes, and particularly low shoes of the Oxford type.

One common source of discomfort is the wrinkling of the upper and liner between the toe cap and the laces. The downward folds of wrinkles at this point chafe the wearers foot. While discomfort due to this cause has been partially remedied in some instances by applying stiffening to the inner surface of the shoe, the remedy has not always been effective because if the shoe has been properly lasted to fit closely to the wearers foo-t the stiffening material employed has reduced the space available to the wearers foot and has resulted in pressure only slightly more comfortable than the wrinkles. By means of the present invention I apply a felt pad at this point during the lasting of the shoe so that the under surface of the pad is fitted to the last, the upper being displaced during the lasting operation and thus involving no discomfort to the wearer. I have found that the pad tends to prevent wrinkling and to avoid all discomfort at this point.

Other important features of the invention, claimed in my divisional application No. 173,095 filed November 6, 1937, have for their object making the shoe fit more snugly about the ankles. Too often the quarterpulls away from the ankle of the wearer to show a gap. This deprives the ankle of support, as well as being unsightly.

In the past it has been the object of the manufacturers of shoes to cut the quarter lining in such a way as to fit snugly within the counter. I have discovered that by cutting the quarter lining slightly short in its intermediate portion so that it tends to draw away from the counter, the heel of the wearer, in forcing the quarter liner toward the counter, will create a tension effect on the liner which, if the liner be properly out, will be exerted in a direction to draw in the margins of the shoe about the ankle, thus improving the comfort and appearance of the shoe.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective showing a shoe invention relates to liner made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing the completed shoe incorporating the liner shown in Fig. 1.

Figure Bis a view partially in side elevation but largely in longitudinal section through the completed shoe shown in Fig. 2.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The liner shown in Fig. 1 follows conventional practise in most respects. Its forward portion 4 is made of canvas. The quarter is made up of pieces 5, 6 and I, the latter being continuous about 1936, Serial No. 77,119

the heel to preferably avoid any seam at the rear of the shoe.

The felt patch 8 is applied in the general position indicated, where it will soften the contact of the shoe with the foot and will not only tend to prevent permanent wrinkles but will cushion such wrinkles as occur in walking.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the liner of Fig. 1 applied to the completed shoe. It is particularly to be observed from Fig. 3 that the under surface of the pad 8 has been made in the lasting operation to conform to the inner surfaces of adjacent portions of the liner 4. Thus the pad occupies no space required by the wearers foot, and the thickness of the pad is accommodated by a very slight bulging of the upper 9 at H], above the pad. This bulging has been exaggerated in Fig. 3 because it is so inconspicuous in actual practise that it would not be readily visible.

The quarter liner comprising the parts 5, 6, and 1 will be stitched marginally at H to the quarter portion I! of the shoe upper in the usual manner, and the lower margin of the quarter lining will be securely anchored beneath the insole l5. Since the quarter lining is thus marginally fixed at its top and lower margins, any longitudinal pressure applied to the center of lining portion I will tend to draw together any of such margins as will freely yield. In cutting the pattern for the parts 5, 6 and l, the seams l6 are made less convex than usual so that instead of permitting the rear quarter lining portion 1 to conform rearwardly to the shape of the counter I 1, I maintain such quarter lining portion under more or less vertical tension which causes it to draw away from the counter when the shoe is not in use.

I have found that when the shoe is worn, the wearers heel extending back toward the counter, pushes the quarter lining portion 1 rearwardly, and by pressure against its intermediate portion subjects the liner to tension. This tension reacts upon the upper margin l l, which is the only portion of the liner that is free to yield, and the result is to draw this snugly about the ankle of the wearer of the shoe.

I claim:

In a shoe, the combination with a liner and an upper in operative assembly and means for lacing the shoe, of a pad applied only to the forward inner portion of the liner ahead of the lacing means with its inner surface flush with the adjacent inner surface portions of the liner, the upper being permanently stretched outwardly over the pad to substantially the extent of the thickness thereof, and the thickness of the pad being substantially accommodated by the upward bulging of the upper, whereby to relieve the wearer of pressure.

ELBERT W. ALLEN. 

